Covid test ordering rises but vaccination plummets

Santo Domingo, DR
This Monday, at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, few people were interested in getting inoculated due to the Three Kings Day holiday.

Around 10:00 AM, less than 15 people had been vaccinated, a number that nurses described as “few.” “Here, we normally vaccinate around 35 people by this time, today things have been lax,” said Carmen Céspedes, a nurse on duty.

Most citizens who come to the vaccination centers look for their third dose and others for the fourth, leaving the first and second doses behind. Such is the case of Manuel Jiménez, who, despite being a young man of 23 years old, decided this Monday to get vaccinated for the fourth time.

“People have to be informed, the vaccine; the helped us to get away from home even though there is a resurgence,” Manuel said confidently.

During a tour made by journalists of the Listín Diario, by vaccination centers in the National District, it could be seen which vaccination centers such as the one of the National University Pedro Henríquez Ureña (Unphu) and Public Health remained closed today.

Few people went to the Olympic Center to get inoculated, and other centers closed is associated with the long weekend in progress. However, it is expected that from Tuesday 11 onwards, more will show up.

Increase in PCR tests

However, interest in PCR testing has not waned at the Pavilion of Fame and the Fencing Pavilion, located at the Olympic Center.

The three floors of the pavilion are occupied by adults and children who come to take the test because of a “flu” they say they have.

“I came with my baby because we have had a bad flu for a few days that won’t go away and we are beginning to think that it is Covid,” said Agustina Méndez, accompanied by her five-year-old son.

Likewise, in Public Health, the PCR and antigen tests have not stopped; these are almost at par with the number of people tested this Monday morning.